Fans of the South Korean national team and the Korean Football Association (KFA) have been here before.
Korea is now looking for a sixth post-Hiddink coach. Pim Verbeek's resignation at the end of the Asian Cup means that five coaches have now come and gone in the Land of the Morning Calm since the 2002 World Cup.
After three spells with the Korea national team, the first two as the assistant at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, Verbeek is a familiar figure in modern Korean soccer and has been a good servant. Taking the reins last summer, the tall 51-year-old had a long-term vision for Korean soccer, up to and beyond the 2010 World Cup. In the global game however, things rarely go according to plan.
The Asian Cup was one of those things. Verbeek led the team to third place in a continental campaign that ended in a bizarre fashion as his team defeated Japan in a penalty shootout to finish third.
Banished to the sidelines by an overzealous referee for protesting the dubious sending off of Kang Min-soo, Verbeek was forced to sit among the spectators as his team battled until the end.
The win means that Korea will now not have to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup, and if that is a positive legacy then there are one or two others.
Following the retirement of the much-heralded back-line of 2002, the team has gone through defenders in an attempt to find a settled and competent back four.
At the end of the trip to Southeast Asia, however, it looks like an answer has finally been found. Oh Beom-seok, Kang Minsoo and Kim Jin-kyu and Chiwoo went seven hours without conceding a goal and, even better, the quartet are all under 24.
The experienced stars were absent, however. After the withdrawal of Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo, Seol Ki-hyeon and Kim Nam-il through injury, it was going to be tough for Korea to end its 47-year-long continental drought.The team stayed positive and an Asian Football Confederation official remarked that it was the first time he could remember a Korean team taking the competition with the utmost seriousness.
Unfortunately, scoring three goals in six games is going to win neither points nor plaudits.Verbeek was unable to solve the team's problems. As the defense tightened, fewer chances were created and the strikers rarely looked like they could score. Unrest in the Korean media grew - not to severe levels - but enough to question the leadership off the field and the lack of diversity in attack on it.
The knockout stage was a slog with all three games lasting two hours with no goals scored or conceded. Those six hours were more than long enough to demonstrate the fighting spirit and fitness of a team, but also showed little in the way of creativity and initiative.
It should be mentioned that such qualities are in short supply in a low-scoring K-League with overseas stars responsible for most of what does exist. Goals are not just a national team problem, they are a commodity not abundant domestically and only two out of the top 10 marksmen so far this season hold Korean passports.
That is another issue and not one that Verbeek will have to deal with. Soon, it will be the responsibility of someone else.
The early front-runner is Jorvan Vieira. The Brazilian led Iraq to the Asian Cup title. Before he did so, he confirmed that not only will he step down from that post but that he has been contacted by the Korean Football Association. The fact that he did so before Verbeek announced his departure was not appreciated in Seoul and does not reflect well on Vieira.
There is no need for the KFA to rush as little will happen for the next few months on the national team level and it is important to find the right person.
There is always the inevitable talk of big-name coaches, but with the World Cup three years away, tempting, as well as paying, such people is difficult. This is not a bad thing as perhaps it is time to avoid the stop-start effect that is in danger of becoming the norm.
It is all very well appointing famous coaches who become more attracted to Korea the closer a World Cup becomes, but as soon as the competition ends, they take their talents elsewhere and Korea finds itself almost back at square one.
For now however, it's time for a new start - again.
Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile
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Monday, August 6, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
It’s not if, it’s Sven
On reflection, my decision to take a couple of weeks off to ‘rest’ was flawed from the outset. The wife went completely ‘Stefan Postma’ on me; she was constantly on my back.
The evil one demanded that the bedroom receive a full makeover. As nothing has been done in there for a number of years, I wasn’t overly upset with her having the decorators in.
Tidying up the garden was the hardest job. I was absolutely knackered at the end; the incessant drone of the lawnmower completely ruined my afternoon nap.
I did manage to wash the car myself. I say wash, but ‘drove in the rain’ would probably be a more accurate description. In my defence, I have been busy putting together a collection of ante-post football bets that are so tasty, Nordic babe-magnet Sven Goran Eriksson has been trying to get his hands on them.
Manchester United are a confident pick for Premiership glory. United were clearly the best team in the league last season, and their summer transfer dealings have been nothing short of exemplary. United are available at 7/5 in a two-horse race: I suspect foal play.
Liverpool are the betting equivalent of Lenny Henry: every year they receive massive support for no apparent reason. I like the look of Arsenal at 2/1 in the betting without Man U and Chelsea.
I’ve got a lot of time for ‘let’s do it again’ Sven. England rose from 17th to 4th in the FIFA world rankings under the Swede’s tutelage, and he managed to orchestrate this transformation while planting his pole more than Sergey Bubka. The 2/1 for Manchester City finishing the season in the top half of the table is the most surprising offer since Ulrika Johnson offered the ageing Lothario a little slice of Swedish fish pie.
I always try to gain an edge wherever possible, so I asked the wife’s computer-savvy sister to run a series of simulations on the Premiership handicap. After a significant number of entries last Saturday night, she has reached the conclusion that Manchester City will finish on around the 100 point mark (they receive a 41 point start), making them an each-way steal at 15/1.
The Golden Boot is a tough market to crack under normal circumstances, but with Didier Drogba (the clear favourite) on African Nations Cup duty for up to two months, a little dabble may prove pleasantly prudent. Eduardo netted 71 goals in 100 games in Croatia; if he settles early at the Emirates, the 28/1 will prove the greatest gift since Cher’s offering to a young Franck Ribery in the tear-jerking chick-flick ‘Mask’.
There are a number of season match bets available where the probability of success is greater then the odds-makers have calculated. Man City to finish above West Ham at 11/8 is the standout, and Middlesbrough to finish above Sunderland at evens is a close runner-up. If bets were birds, these two would be on Sven’s ‘to do’ list.
I love to have a pre-season accer on the four divisions, but it’s normally about as successful as a Frank Skinner sitcom. There’s always one team that lets me down; even when I just have a single.
This year, it’s all about to change. I’m siding with Manchester United in the Premiership, Southampton in the Championship, Swansea in League 1 and the MK Dons in the basement. A £1 each way accer will return £2,206 if all prove successful, I’ve already entered the £46 return for all four to place on my spreadsheet.
It all kicks off in Scotland this weekend, and there will also be a few football matches. I can’t be having Celtic at 1/4 without Boruc and Nakamura; I’ll take Killy at evens with a 1½ goal start.
Rangers will be oozing confidence after a pre-season victory over Chelsea and a Champions League qualifying stroll in midweek. I’ll be celebrating like a true Scot if the Gers take the points against Inverness at 1/2; i’ve even bought the skirt.
As a spectacle, last season’s FA Cup final was possibly the dullest piece of television ever, if we choose to ignore ‘David Beckham’s Soccer USA’. Manchester United have a chance to redeem themselves against Chelsea in the Community Shield, I’ll happily play at 13/8.
United have quality throughout the pitch, but I’ll put forward Wayne Rooney as the most likely first scorer at 7/1. I would have plumped for the outstanding Carlos Tevez if it wasn’t for the delay in his transfer; he’s still tied up filming ‘Mask 2, it’s got a whole lot worse’.
Copyright (c) Gerry McDonnell & soccerphile.com
The evil one demanded that the bedroom receive a full makeover. As nothing has been done in there for a number of years, I wasn’t overly upset with her having the decorators in.
Tidying up the garden was the hardest job. I was absolutely knackered at the end; the incessant drone of the lawnmower completely ruined my afternoon nap.
I did manage to wash the car myself. I say wash, but ‘drove in the rain’ would probably be a more accurate description. In my defence, I have been busy putting together a collection of ante-post football bets that are so tasty, Nordic babe-magnet Sven Goran Eriksson has been trying to get his hands on them.
Manchester United are a confident pick for Premiership glory. United were clearly the best team in the league last season, and their summer transfer dealings have been nothing short of exemplary. United are available at 7/5 in a two-horse race: I suspect foal play.
Liverpool are the betting equivalent of Lenny Henry: every year they receive massive support for no apparent reason. I like the look of Arsenal at 2/1 in the betting without Man U and Chelsea.
I’ve got a lot of time for ‘let’s do it again’ Sven. England rose from 17th to 4th in the FIFA world rankings under the Swede’s tutelage, and he managed to orchestrate this transformation while planting his pole more than Sergey Bubka. The 2/1 for Manchester City finishing the season in the top half of the table is the most surprising offer since Ulrika Johnson offered the ageing Lothario a little slice of Swedish fish pie.
I always try to gain an edge wherever possible, so I asked the wife’s computer-savvy sister to run a series of simulations on the Premiership handicap. After a significant number of entries last Saturday night, she has reached the conclusion that Manchester City will finish on around the 100 point mark (they receive a 41 point start), making them an each-way steal at 15/1.
The Golden Boot is a tough market to crack under normal circumstances, but with Didier Drogba (the clear favourite) on African Nations Cup duty for up to two months, a little dabble may prove pleasantly prudent. Eduardo netted 71 goals in 100 games in Croatia; if he settles early at the Emirates, the 28/1 will prove the greatest gift since Cher’s offering to a young Franck Ribery in the tear-jerking chick-flick ‘Mask’.
There are a number of season match bets available where the probability of success is greater then the odds-makers have calculated. Man City to finish above West Ham at 11/8 is the standout, and Middlesbrough to finish above Sunderland at evens is a close runner-up. If bets were birds, these two would be on Sven’s ‘to do’ list.
I love to have a pre-season accer on the four divisions, but it’s normally about as successful as a Frank Skinner sitcom. There’s always one team that lets me down; even when I just have a single.
This year, it’s all about to change. I’m siding with Manchester United in the Premiership, Southampton in the Championship, Swansea in League 1 and the MK Dons in the basement. A £1 each way accer will return £2,206 if all prove successful, I’ve already entered the £46 return for all four to place on my spreadsheet.
It all kicks off in Scotland this weekend, and there will also be a few football matches. I can’t be having Celtic at 1/4 without Boruc and Nakamura; I’ll take Killy at evens with a 1½ goal start.
Rangers will be oozing confidence after a pre-season victory over Chelsea and a Champions League qualifying stroll in midweek. I’ll be celebrating like a true Scot if the Gers take the points against Inverness at 1/2; i’ve even bought the skirt.
As a spectacle, last season’s FA Cup final was possibly the dullest piece of television ever, if we choose to ignore ‘David Beckham’s Soccer USA’. Manchester United have a chance to redeem themselves against Chelsea in the Community Shield, I’ll happily play at 13/8.
United have quality throughout the pitch, but I’ll put forward Wayne Rooney as the most likely first scorer at 7/1. I would have plumped for the outstanding Carlos Tevez if it wasn’t for the delay in his transfer; he’s still tied up filming ‘Mask 2, it’s got a whole lot worse’.
Copyright (c) Gerry McDonnell & soccerphile.com
GLOBAL GOALS - INTERNATIONAL GOALSCORER RANKINGS
GLOBAL GOALS - INTERNATIONAL GOALSCORER RANKINGS
Global Goals the new and exiciting website for ranking international goalscorers have just published their July rankings. It's great news for Japanese scoring sensation Naohiro Takahara, the leading goalscorers at last month's Asian Cup who has broken into the overall Top 20 for the first time, for the complete Top 30 and the Asian Top 30
please log on to www.global-goals.co.uk
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Global Goals the new and exiciting website for ranking international goalscorers have just published their July rankings. It's great news for Japanese scoring sensation Naohiro Takahara, the leading goalscorers at last month's Asian Cup who has broken into the overall Top 20 for the first time, for the complete Top 30 and the Asian Top 30
please log on to www.global-goals.co.uk
Bet with Bet 365
World Soccer News
Soccer betting tips
Soccer Books & DVDs
Tags
Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting
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